What comes to mind when you think of a reading room? Do you picture leather wingback chairs and walls of floor to ceiling bookcases, full of leather bound books? Too stuffy? Maybe an alcove in a spacious public library? Too public? Perhaps your style is a white wicker settee in a country garden, with birds twittering and floral fragrances wafting in the air. How sweet. Too sweet?
Do you have a favorite place to read? I pretty much consider wherever I am when I take the notion to read to be my reading room. I can read just about anywhere, with two exceptions. The first is in the car – I learned at an early age that if I read in a moving car, I’m guaranteed a serious case of motion sickness. The second is in the grass. I’m not of the barefoot in the grass variety. I can’t stand to be barefoot in grass, and sitting in grass just makes my skin dance – subject myself to being crawled upon or seen as a bug buffet? I don’t think so. I like to think of myself as being a sensible woman, calm and cool under almost any circumstance, but put a bug on me or a spider within reach and I can squeal and jump around with the best of the girly girls.
One of my favorite places to read is at home in the sunroom, lounging on the futon with the sun streaming in and a cold Diet Coke on the end table. I fully understand the appreciation our dog and cats have for the sun. They typically tolerate each other fairly well, but when the sun streams in any door or window, they’ll squeeze cheek to cheek to get a little sunbeam action.
I also love to read in a lounge chair by the pool when we’re vacationing (you can’t be picky about water spots when you do this because there are bound to be some). My co-worker and I are both content to read while sitting at our desks during our lunch hour – after putting our phones on DND, of course. I’ve been found perched on the very edge of the bed while stowing books away in under bed storage bins, sometimes after a couple of hours or more, because a book (or two or three) in the bin called to me to pick it up and take yet another look, skimming the pages for my favorite scenes. Big sigh.
Before you ask – yes, I do have a life outside the pages of my books. Reading is not my life, but it is a significant part of it. My family comes first, so I don’t read all the time or even as much as I sometimes would like. I figure there will be time for reading marathons once we’re empty nesting. Perhaps that’s why I can read just about anywhere – I like to make the time that I do have to read seriously count.
What about you? Can you lose yourself in a book, regardless of where you are? Where’s the strangest place you’ve ever read? Does your family support your reading habits? Do they ever feel neglected or ignored because of them? Do your reading preferences ever hinder where you’ll pull them out to read? I’ll admit that there are some covers and/or titles that I simply don’t feel comfortable reading at my desk at work. Where is your favorite place to park yourself and read?
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Hey Laurie. I am a fussy reader, and cannot read just anywhere. I get too easily distracted and end up people-watching if I’m in public On a plane, I usually bring a non-romance with me because it just doesn’t seem like a good idea to read the naughty bits when you’re scrunched in your seat next to other people who may try to read what you’re reading. I bring a book to work but hardly ever read it – there is always something to keep me from concentrating on it.
When I do read, I like to curl up in a chair or on the bed in a quiet place and get lost that way. If it’s nice outside, I like to lounge on a chair with something refreshing to drink. Now that’s the life.
LOL Stacy,
that’s exactly WHEN I like to read the naughty bits. It is even more naughty when people are reading over your shoulder.
Great post.
I read any and everywhere. I prefer to read snuggled in my bed with some bite sized chocolate (or a spoon ful of nutella) and a Fresca (ah, between my Fresca mention and your Diet Coke mention, I can see my KO stock going through the roof).
However, I usually read on some sort of moving vehicle, bus, boat, train, plane, you name it (wow, having a Dr. Seuss moment).
I’ll read anywhere (but can’t manage it on the elliptical or treadmill, so I changed to the recumbent bike). But my preferred reading place is somewhere I can put my feet up. I have a small chaise by my bedroom window, and that’s my favorite place to hide away and read.
Nice post, Laurie – as always. I enjoy reading just about anywhere, really. I tend to be found with a notebook in hand more often than a book when I’m out in public, since I’ve been known to start writing my own books that way. However, when it comes time to settle in, over the years my habit seems to be to curl up in my favourite chair late at night when the house is quiet, and then I just totally escape to wherever… It’s like peace at the end of the day. Some times I even put on a CD in the background, let it play softly, enhancing the mood – since mostly it’s my romantic Italian singers I’m listening to, and usually a romance I’m reading.
Take care everyone, and have a great weekend!!
Hugs,
Denyse
Hello everyone,
well i read just about anywhere…………cos i love to read.
On the bus, tube, in a car…………..and don’t even get me started about reading in the bath……….
Bed of course, the sofa, in the park cos i don’t have a garden
The beach is one of my favorite places to read
On a ferry going to Ireland, so much better than taking travel tablets to stop my from having motion sickness…………the book made me forget and the journey seem to take minutes instead of 4 hours
:
When i attent an appointment, doctors, dentists, hospitals, ( usually they have to call my name more than twice cos i so into my book!
Planes are a funny place to read, cos your usually reading about a far flung place and there you are up in the sky traveling thousands of miles
one of the oddest places i read was in a castle, up on the battlements………i was reading an historical novel and well it was so much better than listening to the guide
If i could i would like to try reading in a hammock something i’ve never actually done but always wanted to try
Emma
from ole london town
Luckily, I can read a book in the vehicle, but not a newspaper. Something about the eye having to move too much. I can read jsut about anywhere, but like you, I’m picky about what I take out in public. Some covers are too embarrassing for even me! I’ll keep a book in the car to read while in the carpool line, at work on my lunch hour, or just to have in case I can get in minute or two of reading time. There’s always a book or two in the den next to my recliner, and I won’t even say how many are stacked next to my side of the bed. I’m definitely guilty of reading when I should be doing something else, but when I get involved in a good book, it’s so hard to put it down to do laundry, or scrub baths.
I love the read and can read almost anywhere. I can’t however read in the car. Something about the motion will make me so sick. I can read on a plane, but only for a little bit. My favorite places to read are my couch, my bed, at the beach or by the pool. I make sure I always have at least one book with me in case I get caught in traffic or at an appointment. I even have some books on my ipod so I can listen to them at the gym(haven’t figured out how to read and walk on the treadmill).
I read all the time and in a lot of locations. I read on my lunch hour at work, in bed, in my recliner during a sleepless night, riding in the car, you name it. For several years I was a drive thru bank teller and since I was in there by myself, I read all the time. Sold more books through that drive thru than you can shake a stick at. lol Everyone knew I loved reading and the customers and I talked books all the time when they didn’t have anybody behind them. They even shared their books with me and me with them.
Do I ignore housework for reading? Yep, any time I get the chance. lol
I’d love to have a huge old fashioned lubrary with shelves to the ceiling and the sliding ladders to reach the top shelves. Keep telling my hubby to win the lottery, I really need that library.
Hi Laurie,
I read wherever, no special place. I think I read more inthe summer, just sitting on my swing and enjoying the weather. Some covers I choose to not show if I have the grandkids home, I don’t think I have any too racy (yet, lol).
Hi Laurie,
As for the covers, if they’re too racy??? I’ll put them in one of those book cover thingies. I always carry a book with me when I go out but don’t always read because I’ll forget where I am and totally ignore what’s going on. 
My family has said more than once that I ignore them and what they’re telling me when I read. I would love to have a library in my house. 
I certainly have enough books to stock one 
I loved reading everyone’s comments.
I actually just stopped by to say hi, then I read your column and I couldn’t resist. I can read just about anywhere. I love sitting ourside on my porch w/ a nice glass of iced tea or in my room with no one to bother me. I have to stop reading in my kitchen though, I have been known to get so involved with my book that I have burned dinner. This has happened more than once
I read just about anywhere. My favorite places are the couch or the bed. I always have a book with me so if I have to wait I have something to read. I read at my lunch time, I normally have my books in a book cover. My boss gives me grief about some of the titles of the books I read.
Great topic girlie
I can read anywhere, except maybe the tub. I’m always afraid of getting my book wet. The beach is definitely my favorite place to read. As for getting distracted, I don’t. I have a knack for tuning anything and everything out when I want to. Also, ever since I bought a Sony Reader, it has alleviated my ‘problem’ of reading certain books at my work desk
I used to be able to read anywhere. I would just plop myself down cross-legged or in a kind of lotus position and just read. When I was very young, I could even read in the car without getting car sick. Now, I do a lot of reading in bed or on the couch. I have never been able to read in a library of all places.
My fantasy place to read would be a chaise longue so I am not reclining so much as reading in bed. I want a diet cherry cola next to me. I’s love a nice comfy window seat long enough to stretch out my legs. It’s a great question, Laurie. We have an empty room we are trying to turn into a reading room and I haven’t quite been able to visualize what I really want except lots of full bookshelves!
I can read most places (except in a moving car or bus–what a disappointment!) and do. My family is mostly supportive except when my desire to continue the story interferes with things like actual food and help with homework and the like. Anywhere relatively quiet is good for me! (We just went on an international flight, and all I could think was “Woohoo–all that reading time on the plane!
)
I read in most places. I love reading in the bath, in bed, on a couch, in a rocking chair, on a blanket on the grass, by a pool, on a bus, on a train, on a plane. The only place I don’t read is in a car.
At work, I read work-related magazines, catalogs, online media, and mss. I don’t read books. If I’m absolutely unable to resist a story, I will read at lunch, but not at my desk–too many interruptions. I have to leave the office.
My favorite reading time is 4am, before any of my family have awakened. It’s quiet, dark, the birds are just starting to twitter, and it feels like the world is a peaceful place.
The strangest place I’ve ever read? Under my desk at work. I didn’t have time to leave the office over lunch and wanted to finish a book–I was only a couple chapters from the end. I knew that I would be interrupted if people knew I was there. So I crawled under my desk–the natural light from the windows hits under my desk in the afternoon, so it was well lit. But it felt odd. I only did it the one time.
I go to Starbucks almost every day to enjoy my coffee and read. Sometimes I don’t get much reading done. Today I met a guy who enjoys talking and only finished a few pages.
I also enjoy going to the beach with my canvas chair and umbrella when the weather gets really warm.
A couple of strange places when I was in the Navy was on top of the pharmacy narcotics safe and atop the orthopedic traction frame that was suspended from the overhead. Being above everything gives a different perspective to the same view.
When I was safety observor for Underway Replenishment I used to stand on a platform above the deck putting me about four feet above the working cargo handlers.
I have a hard time reading at home. The only place is next to where I use the computer and in front of the TV.
Ray
I’m one of those who can’t read in the car, and if there were a subway here, I probably couldn’t read on that for danger of missing my stop. I can and do read on airplanes, and I don’t care what the cover looks like, I’m going to read what I want to read when and where I want to read it.
I doubt I’ll be doing much reading on the beach, now that I live at the beach, because I sunburn so fast and so violently. It’s just not safe for me to be out there that long, even with sunscreen. (And my hair was next thing to black, back before it went gray on me.) However, I love to go out to the glider under the magnolia tree, or to the table under the covered porch–especially when it’s raining–and read there.
I don’t like to read in bed. Especially now, when I don’t have a lamp close enough to the bed for good light, but I just don’t like to lie down and read. It’s hard to get the light on the pages right. I’d rather go sit in the den, or even at the kitchen table.
I do read in the kitchen while cooking.
I inadvertently posted my comment before I was done with it. I was going to add that I carry the book with me into the kitchen and prop it open. If the book and I are both IN the kitchen, I don’t burn anything. Though it does take me longer to get the potatoes peeled if I’m reading while peeling… I don’t cook with library books, but if it’s my own book, grease spots don’t matter.
Many years ago I use to be able to read on the train,and even a bus, but never in a car.
I sometimes chance reading in the car, but unless we’re on a long drive with little to no change in speed, I get motion sick too.
I can read almost anywhere, but my favorite places have to be curled up in bed or out by the pool with my feet in the water!
I’ve loved reading about your favorite reading spots – some of you made me chuckle! Thanks so much to all of you for stopping by – I truly appreciate it.
Have a great weekend, everyone!
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